Studying Tips for Finals

It’s that time of year again: the weather is getting nice, and you’re losing motivation to finish the school year off strong. Many people are anticipating summer, and can’t wait to go home to see friends and family, making it difficult to focus and study. Believe me, I am right there with you. However, it is important to take finals seriously because they do have an impact on your grade. Here are a few study tips that are helpful for me.

Do a little each day

Instead of cramming everything in the weekend before finals, try to start studying a couple weeks ahead of time. Make a plan of what you are going to study and for how long, and incorporate it into your planner. I like to break it into sections because it makes it easier to focus. For example, I will only study sections 2.1 & 2.2 for 30 minutes one day, and then move on to 2.3 and 2.4 the next day. It makes it seem like less work load, and makes it less overwhelming.

Take breaks

This is one I can’t emphasize enough. It is important to take breaks while you are studying. Make time increments and set goals for the amount of time that you are studying for. For example, if you plan on studying for 2 hours, study a little bit of each subject for 20 minutes. Then when you get to an hour, take a 10-minute break. This will help you relax and relieve any stress that was built up. The time increments can differ with every person, so do what feels comfortable according to your study habits. Also, try to eliminate distractions. My biggest distraction is my phone, so I leave my phone in my room when I go to the Atrium and study so I am not tempted to go on it. It is amazing how much studying you can get done when you don’t have your phone nearby!

Make incentives

You always feel motivated to do something if you set incentives for completing your goals. It can be very hard to stay focused and study (especially when the weather is finally nice), but you can gain motivation by making incentives. This could be telling yourself you will watch Netflix for an hour or two if you study for an hour, or taking a relaxation day and doing whatever you want if you have a successful studying day the day before. Write down your goals, and then check them off once you have completed them. It will make you feel more accomplished.

Finals are not fun and they are hard to study for, but in less than two weeks it will be over and you have a 3-month break. These studying tips have definitely helped me, so I hope they work for you. Stay focused, study hard and you will do great on all your finals. I believe in you!

Mackie Kelleher is a sophomore at Illinois State and is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Writing. In her free time, she loves to watch Netflix, read, and work out. She is a huge Starbucks lover and you can always find her there studying!